Runner construction for oven rack

ABSTRACT

This rack and runner construction includes opposed runners attached to the sidewall of an oven compartment and having inclined bearing glides spaced along their length, each pair of horizontal runners receiving a rack in sliding engagement. Each rack includes rear guide elements cooperating with associated horizontal runners to limit upward and outward movement of the rack.

0 United States Patent 1151 3,675,638 Baltz et al. 1451 July 11, 1972s41 RUNNER CONSTRUCTION FOR OVEN 2,225,762 12/1940 Barnsteiner 126/19 Rx RACK 2,225,991 l2/l940 l-lobson............... l 26/339 X 2,67l,0043/l954 Chadwick et al. 1 26/339 X [72] Inventors: Albert L. Baltz,Millstadt; Elmer E. Voelte Belleviue both on. 1 2,797,680 7/l957Nagel.......................i...........l26/l9 R [73] Assignee: EagleRange and Manufacturing Com- Primaryfimmimrmlesjy pany, Belleville, lll.Attorney-Cohn and Powell [22] Filed: Dec. 7, I970 [57] ABSTRACT [2]]App! 95:80 This rack and runner construction includes opposed runnersattached to the sidewall of an oven compartment and having 52 us.inclined ng s d spaced along their gt a h pair f [$1] Int.Cl. ..l-24c15/]6 h rizon al runners receiving a rack in sliding engagement. [58]Field of Search l26/l9 R 21 R, 2| A, 39 R, Each rack includes rear guideelements cooperating with asl26/39 C, 273 R, 337 R, 339 sociatedhorizontal runners to limit upward and outward movement of the rack.

[56] References Cited 1 Claim, 2 Drawing figures UNITED STATES PATENTS3,29l,ll3 l2/l966 Scott ..126/l9R RUNNER CONSTRUCTION FOR OVEN RACKBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a rackand runner construction for an oven and in particular to such aconstruction for use in a self-cleaning oven.

It is well-known that waste matter resulting from cooking tends tocollect on oven walls. A fairly recent development, which involvesfinishing the oven sidewalls with a catalytic coating, has substantiallysolved the problem of the waste matter and such matter is eliminatedautomatically by oxidation caused by heat reacting with the catalyticcoating during cooking. However, the problem of wear on the sliding rackbearing surfaces remains and has become more acute, to the extent thatsuch wear tends to remove the catalytic and enamel coating resulting incorrosion of the oven wall along the rack runner engagement surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This rack and runner construction substantiallyreduces wear of a runner surface receiving a removable rack and therebyconsiderably decreases the chances of corrosion of the oven sidewalls.The construction includes a rack having side framing elements supportedby oppositely disposed runners formed on the oven sidewalls. Each runnerincludes an elongate member having a plurality of bearing elementsthereon which receive the side framing elements of the rack in glidingengagement. The runner bearing elements each include an inclined bearingface transversely disposed to the elongate member and substantiallywedge-shaped in configuration. The runner bearing faces are arcuatelyformed.

The rack includes depending guide elements having outwardly turned feetportions disposed adjacently of an associated runner and each runnerincludes a depending stop element providing an abutment engageable byone of the feet portions to limit withdrawal of the rack from the oven.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theoven compartment illustrating the rack and runner construction, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in cross sectionillustrating the relative disposition of rack and runner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now by characters ofreference to the drawing and first to FIG. 1, it will be understood thatthe oven compartment, generally indicated by numeral 10, includesopposed sidewalls or liners II and I2 and a backwall 13. The sidewallsII and 12 are oppositely disposed and are substantially identical. Forexample, sidewall I 1 includes a plurality of rack runners l4 and thesidewall 12 includes a corresponding set of horizontally, alignedoppositely disposed runners 14. Each pair of horizontally alignedrunners 14 is adapted to receive a rack, generally indicated by numeral15.

The runners 14 are substantially identical to each other, and in thedrawing, like numbers indicate corresponding parts. Specifically, eachrunner 14, as indicated in FIG. 2, is substan tially rectangular incross section having an upper side 20, an underside 21 and a front side22. The runners 14 are formed from the sidewalls l1 and 12, as bypressing, and extend substantially the length of the sidewalls.Clearance is provided between each runner end 23 and the back wall 13 ofthe oven compartment.

Each runner l4 includes a plurality of glides 24 constituting bearingelements spaced along the length of the runner 14. The glides 24 arepreferably integrally formed with the runner l4 and with the sidewalls11 and 12, which facilitates the coating of the interior walls of theoven compartment with a catalytic cover suitable for a self-cleaningoven. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the bearing glides 24 aresubstantially wedgeshaped and include an inclined, substantially arcuatebearing face 25. It will be understood that the arcuate bearing faces 25are in substantial alignment with the bearing faces of associatedbearing glides along the same runner.

Each runner 14 includes a depending stop element 26 formed on the runnerunderside 21, preferably integrally formed therewith, which precludesfull withdrawal of the rack 15 from the oven compartment 10 under normaloperation as will be described.

In the preferred embodiment, the rack 15, which is slidably received bythe glides 24, includes a peripheral frame providing opposed side frameelements 30, front and rear elements 31 and 32 respectively, a medianelement 33 and a plurality of transverse elements 34. An upstandingspacer element 35 is attached to the rear element 32 at its ends and itsmidpoint and is so configurated as to provide a pair of bumper portions36 which serve to space the main rack frame from the backwall 13. Thespacer element 35 also provides a retaining bar for articles placed onthe rack 15. The rack 15 also includes guide elements 37 which cooperatewith the stop 26 on the runners 14, to preclude withdrawal of the rack15 from the oven compartment 10. The guide elements 37 serve also toprevent inadvertent uplift of the rear end of the rack is when the frontend of the rack is withdrawn from the oven compartment 10. In thepreferred embodiment, the guide elements 37 are formed from downwardlydepending extensions of the spacer element 35 and each guide element 37includes a depending leg 40 turned at right angles to form an outwardlyprojecting foot 4]. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the leg 40 is disposedadjacent the front side 22 of an associated runner l4 and the foot 4] isdisposed subjacently of the underside 2] of said runner 14. It will beunderstood that when the rack 15 is sufficiently withdrawn from the ovencompartment 10, the feet 41 will engage abutment faces 27 of associatedrunner stops 26 to preclude further withdrawal, and that, in addition,the feet 41 provide hook elements precluding movement of the rack 15upwardly.

In operation, the racks I5 slide easily in and out of the ovencompartment 10, the side elements 30 being supported intermittently onthe bearing glides 24. The rack 15 is always supported on at least twoof the bearing glides 24 of each runner I4 and consequently, the sideelements 30 do not at any time engage the upper side 20 of said runner14. It will be noted, for example, that two bearing glides 24 areprovided forwardly of the stop 26.

The spacing of each of the runners 14 from the backwall l3 permits therack 15 to be installed without difficulty and the bumpers 36 formedfrom the spacer element 35 at the rear end of the rack 15 facilitatesuch installation, the projection of the bumpers 36 being somewhat lessthan the spacing between the runner end 23 and the backwall 13 so thatsaid bumpers 36 may be used to some extent as a locating device. Thus,when the bumpers 36 engage the wall 13, the rack 15 may be dropped inplace so that the feet 4] are positioned to be drawn into guidedrelation with said runner I4.

The side framing elements 30 are fonned from circular rods and theprovision of a coacting, arcuate bearing face 25 on the bearing glides24 results in optimum running smoothness. Obviously, since the sideelements 30 are in direct engagement with the bearing glides 24, onlythe arcuate bearing faces 25 of these glides 24 are subject to wear.Further the arcuate configuration of the glides acts as a self-locatingdevice so that the racks I5 are not subject to excessive side movement,and are maintained in a substantially central location within the ovencompartment 10.

We claim as our invention:

1. A rack and runner construction for an oven having a back and opposedsidewalls comprising:

a. a pair of aligned runners adapted to be disposed on associated ovensidewalls, each runner including:

1. an elongate member having an upper side and an underside, and

2. a plurality of bearing elements cisposed in spaced relation along theupper side of the elongate member,

b. a rack including:

I. oppositely disposed side elements supported intermittently on thebearing elements of the aligned pair of runners, and

2. a pair of opposed guide elements, each of which includes a dependentleg adjacently disposed of an associated elongate member of a runner,and an outwardly projecting foot adjacently disposed of and below theunderside of said elongate member,

c. each elongate member of the aligned pair of runners ineluding:

I. an end spaced from the back of the oven sufficient to admit theassociated foot of the rack guide element and dispose the foot below theunderside of the elongate member. and 2. a stop disposed in dependingrelation from the elongate member, the stop including an abutmentengageable by the foot to limit extension of the rack from the oven, andd. a pair of said bearing elements being located on each runnerforwardly of the stop and at least one bearing element being located oneach runner rearwardly of the stop so that the rack is supported on atlast two bearing elements of each runner in all retracted or extendedpositions of the rack without engagement of the rack at any time withthe upper side of the elongate member.

I! i I i

1. A rack and runner construction for an oven having a back and opposedsidewalls comprising: a. a pair of aligned runners adapted to bedisposed on associated oven sidewalls, each runner including:
 1. anelongate member having an upper side and an underside, and
 2. aplurality of bearing elements disposed in spaced relation along theupper side of the elongate member, b. a rack including:
 1. oppositelydisposed side elements supported intermittently on the bearing elementsof the aligned pair of runners, and
 2. a pair of opposed guide elements,each of which includes a dependent leg adjacently disposed of anassociated elongate member of a runner, and an outwardly projecting footadjacently disposed of and below the underside of said elongate member,c. each elongate member of the aligned pair of runners including:
 1. anend spaced from the back of the oven sufficient to admit the associatedfoot of the rack guide element and dispose the foot below the undersideof the elongate member, and
 2. a stop disposed in depending relationfrom the elongate member, the stop including an abutment engageable bythe foot to limit extension of the rack from the oven, and d. a pair ofsaid bearing elements being located on each runner forwardly of the stopand at least one bearing element being located on each runner rearwardlyof the stop so that the rack is supported on at last two bearingelements of each runner in all retracted or extended positions of therack without engagement of the rack at any time with the upper side ofthe elongate member.
 2. a plurality of bearing elements disposed inspaced relation along the upper side of the elongate member, b. a rackincluding:
 2. a pair of opposed guide elements, each of which includes adependent leg adjacently disposed of an associated elongate member of arunner, and an outwardly projecting foot adjacently disposed of andbelow the underside of said elongate member, c. each elongate member ofthe aligned pair of runners including:
 2. a stop disposed in dependingrelation from the elongate member, the stop including an abutmentengageable by the foot to limit extension of the rack from the oven, andd. a pair of said bearing elements being located on each runnerforwardly of the stop and at least one bearing element being located oneach runner rearwardly of the stop so that the rack is supported on atlast two bearing elements of each runner in all retracted or extendedpositions of the rack without engagement of the rack at any time withthe upper side of the elongate member.